What Is a Category A Prison in the UK?
Category A prisons, often referred to as Cat A prisons, are the highest-security facilities within the HM Prison Service. These prisons house individuals considered to pose the most significant threat to the public, police, or national security if they were to escape. In short, these are the prisoners who must be held in the most secure conditions available in the UK.
Who Is Held in a Category A Prison?
Cat A prisons accommodate men convicted or charged with the most serious crimes, such as:
- Murder
- Terrorism-related offences
- Organised crime
- Espionage or offences involving national security
- Serious violent or sexual crimes
These individuals are deemed to require the highest levels of supervision and containment. Every potential Category A prisoner is individually assessed based on risk and re-evaluated regularly.
How Does a Prison Become a Category A Facility?
A Category A prison isn’t just about the inmates—it’s also about the infrastructure. These facilities are built or adapted to include extreme levels of security. That might mean multiple security perimeters, armed guards, advanced CCTV, and extremely limited contact with the outside world.
They also follow strict operating protocols, often including limited association time for inmates, frequent cell searches, and secure visiting areas. Many Category A prisons also have a dedicated unit for housing prisoners under constant observation, such as those serving life sentences or awaiting trial for serious offences.
Examples of Category A Prisons in the UK
Only a small number of prisons in England and Wales are Category A. Some of the best-known examples include:
- HMP Frankland – Located in County Durham and known for housing high-profile inmates.
- HMP Full Sutton – A maximum-security prison in East Yorkshire.
- HMP Long Lartin – Situated in Worcestershire and classified as high security.
- HMP Belmarsh – Often referred to as the UK’s equivalent to Guantanamo Bay, located in London.
Are There Female Category A Prisons?
No prison in England and Wales is officially designated as Category A for women. However, female prisoners who are considered to pose an exceptional risk may be held in enhanced-security units within existing women’s prisons. Their risk is assessed on a case-by-case basis, and similar protocols to Cat A may be applied internally.
How Are Prisoners Moved to Category A?
A prisoner may be assigned Category A status upon remand if their alleged offence is serious enough. Alternatively, someone may be reclassified after conviction depending on how dangerous they are considered to be. All such decisions are made by a dedicated risk assessment panel and reviewed periodically.
Prisoners can be downgraded over time if their risk reduces, though the process is gradual and strictly monitored.
Visiting a Category A Prison
Visits to Category A prisons are highly regulated. Visitors must be pre-approved, undergo rigorous ID checks, and follow specific procedures when attending. In many cases, visits take place behind a screen or via secure video link, particularly for those with high escape risk or ongoing legal cases.
To find out more about visiting arrangements, you can contact the specific prison or refer to the official prison visit guidance provided by the UK government.
Security Measures and Life Inside
Life inside a Cat A prison is considerably more restricted than lower-category facilities. Inmates typically spend more time in their cells and are subject to:
- Frequent searches
- Limited contact with other prisoners
- 24/7 surveillance in some units
- Stringent control over mail and phone calls
Although they may have access to education and work programmes, these are often more limited and subject to stricter supervision.
Conclusion: The Role of Category A Prisons
Category A prisons play a vital role in the UK's justice system by ensuring that the most dangerous individuals are securely held. These facilities are not just about punishment—they’re also about public protection and managing high-risk offenders in a structured, secure environment.
To learn more about prison categories and how the UK system works, visit our main page on UK Prisons.
